François Clouet

François Clouet (Tours, ca. 1510 -Paris, 1572) was a French painter of the Renaissance. Although very little is known of his life and work, it is known that he succeeded his father, Jean Clouet, as official court painter.

His mastery in the use of the pencil, which he inherited from his father, is recognized, which helped him to capture with great skill the psychological burden of the characters he portrayed.

His work for Francis I is not documented before the latter's funeral, which was arranged by Clouet himself.

He only signed three paintings, including the Portrait of the Apothecary Pierre Quthe (1562, Louvre, Paris) and the famous Lady in the Bath (Diana de Poitiers; 1571, National Gallery of Art, Washington).

However, he made the prototypes for various official court portraits, such as those of Henry II, Charles IX or Margaret of Valois.

Some 50 drawings are attributed to him, but it must be considered that, in general, the artistic works of that time were above all the result of teamwork.

In the case of Clouet, his workshop was particularly dedicated to the production of series of portraits, highly fashionable objects destined for the aristocracy.

Gallery

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  Francis II, 1560, graphite and blood on paper, 33.5 × 23.4 cm, National Library of France, Paris

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  Elizabeth of Austria, 1571, oil on board, 36 × 26 cm, Louvre Museum, Paris

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  Diana de Poitiers, 1571, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC